Real-time strategy games as we know them have been around for more than a decade. They let you build up a base of operations, churn out a formidable army, and crush your opponents before they can do the same. We've seen real-time strategy games that have taken place in many different settings, including the far-flung future, the modern-day world, and even high-fantasy kingdoms. Encore and Phenomic are putting the finishing touches on a high-fantasy real-time strategy game called SpellForce, which presents itself as a colorful game with attractive 3D graphics. The game will let you take control of a main character who will eventually develop, conquer, and explore a chain of islands by building up fantastical armies of elves, dwarves, sorcerers, and exceptionally powerful hero characters. Lead designer Volker Wertich graciously answered our questions about this soon-to-be-released strategy game.